Sorry, I need to vent my stress over LPR

Apologies for this long post, particularly if it sounds like utter nonsense. I'm on the edge again, and really need to let out my stress, even if it's just on this post, as nobody close to me believes me to be ill.

I'm still utterly terrified of having LPR. It's been a whole year now, and I've not made any major progress in fixing it. Diet and lifestyle changes have done nothing. Alkaline water, PPIs and H2 Blockers arguably made me worse. Antidepressants, CBT, hypnotherapy and other alternative treatments don't work. A desperate part of me hopes this is just stress and anxiety, but my mind tells me I'm deluded. Just around this time last year, I believed firmly I had a heart condition, which has been proven wrong by an echocardiogram and numerous ECG tests. Diagnosing heart defects is easy. Diagnosing LPR is not.

My GP has finally given up and will allow me to take a 24 hour pH test, but I'm not even sure I've got the right kind of test organised (a ResTech one). If this comes back clear, I'll never be able to prove I have LPR, despite the low-positive results from a rapid spit test. My GP claims that was a chance result from "normal reflux levels" but I'm not convinced.

There is some good news. My burning throat symptoms have begun to cease, only coming back when I drink ice-cold water or eat rich foods such as a cupcake. I've never had true heartburn either. The bad news is, everything else is still present and hurting. These symptoms include:

- Constant belching after eating or drinking ANYTHING. Often this happens first thing in the morning before I eat or drink anything at all. (Gaviscon Advance can't keep the gas down by the way.)
- Whenever I belch, I feel an instant need to clear my throat, and sometimes my nose runs.
- After belching a few times, my throat feels tight for about an hour at a time.
- If I swallow the burps back down, my throat gurgles and bending over makes it worse. Incidentally I have virtually no flatulence, which I used to have a lot of.
- Loads of mucus in my throat. It's always present regardless of my other symptoms.
- Total, utter anxiety and depression.

Meds I've tried include:

- H2 Blockers such as Cimetidine. These had the most success, but they didn't last all day so they gave me a lot of acid rebound.
- PPIs. No effect whatsoever.
- Antidepressants. Most of these made me feel even more depressed, but I currently take 15mg of Mirtazapine. It makes me nod off, and that's about it.
- Vitamin D3 for about 6 months. It may be too early, but I've not felt any benefit from it yet.

Tests I've taken include:

- Upper GI Endoscopy. Clear.
- H.Pylori and H.Hernia test. Clear.
- Barium Swallow. I think the report mentioned a manometry test included in this, but it was still clear.
- Rapid Spit Test. 1 of 3 samples showed a very low amount of pepsin in my saliva.
- Personality analysis. I have mild Aspergers Syndrome apparently.
(And of course I'm waiting for the 24 hour pH probe of unknown origin).
- ENT throat scope: No visible damage to throat or chords, but LPR doesn't cause that anyway.

My family's had it up to here with my "fake illness," some of my friends have left me because of it, I've lost my voluntary work position I'd held for 5 years because of it, and more besides. I've even given up my religious faith; I can't possibly believe any deity would willing let hundreds of people suffer endlessly just like myself. I admit my symptoms probably started due to stress, but I usually know how I feel when I am stressed, so how can my symptoms be caused by it?! What I do notice is whenever I feel angry my symptoms actually improve for a while. In other words stress makes me feel BETTER for some reason.

My favourite hobbies and pastimes can't distract me from the symptoms. Hypnotherapy only works because I have to lie down for it. I can't eat comfort foods of course because random food and water makes the LPR worse. I'm in a total bind here and can't think how I can possibly go on like this. I'm only 22 for goodness sake, I wish I knew what I did to deserve this and how I could remedy it? I hate passing by people in the streets who binge on sweets, junk food, fizzy drinks etc. The worst of it is, many of them will probably never get anything wrong with them, or at the very least nothing as heartbreaking and life destroying as LPR.



...Rant over. Sorry again, I just felt an urgent need to get this all off my chest. Apologies if I'm breaking any rules for doing so, but whether I am or not, thank you for your understanding.

Post Edited (Daxter) : 11/13/2013 10:00:43 AM (GMT-7)

dax,

LPR can be cured i know of 4 people who have done it. My throat actually looked normal on my last scope after 2 years of suffering.

so don't give up hope. you just need to figure out the right foods to eat and the right meds.

i posted previously how i healed myself, just look it up. for me even water made my LPR flare, i had to be careful of how much water i drank and to eat cashews to absorb the water so i wouldn't reflux.

its takes discipline to cure LPR, i basically stopped eating out and cooked everything myself.

you should also get a
manometry - see if you LES is tight.
endoscopy - see if your esphogus and stomach look normal.

good luck.

Daxter,

Heartbreaking to read your post. Although not identical, similar path for me. It's hard not to get discouraged. But you've found a wonderful place to receive support and get some ideas for your next move. I have GERD and LPR. Have been through the same tests you have including 24 hour ph test. That test verified that I have GERD and LPR. Like you, nothing much has helped. Because of your post, I went back to sk55's previous post. He talks about some things I haven't tried yet. I believe diet is playing a large role in my case so that's the road I'm traveling. I've been following Dr. Jaime Koufman's diet in her book Dropping Acid. I've been on it for 2 weeks. It has helped the acid but not the water brash issue. I also read that some people have had success with the diet in the book Fast Track (Heartburn). Another person had success with a vegan diet (she suggested Forks Over Knives - DVD and cookbook ordered).

Have you tried a food log? That's something I'm going to do. I started one a while back but found I was eating the same thing every day so I stopped writing in it. But I'm going to be trying different diets now so I'll start one again.

I'm sorry your support network has broken down leaving you feeling isolated and alone. This is a good place to come for support. I'm on my third primary care doctor. I'm lucky that I have a very supportive sister and a few friends who understand. It's been 2-1/2 years for me and you start running out of things to try and I'm tired. But today I found some things I haven't tried yet (because of a response to your post). Lots of ideas here. I write down things I don't understand and I look them up. I've learned so much just by joining this forum.

Thank you for posting your feelings. I share many of them. Maybe some day, we'll be one of the people who can say that we found something that works and we can share that with others.

Daxter,
Sorry you are going through this...I have LPR and my throat is a mess.
You said something in your OP about your doctor not seeing any throat damage. Do I have that correct?
If that is the case, have you ever looked into the idea that your vagus nerve could be damaged.

When my doctor looked at my throat he was said it was bad, like a 7 on a scale of 10.

Just a thought...Hope you and everyone where are finding answers and feeling better soon.
~Holly

Have had LPR for 8 years.

Tried everything under the sun.

It could be a digestive issue.

I know I have one. The doctor told me I had excess bile in my stomach.

In July I started taking the following digestive aids and my throat has significantly helped. I am 70% better.

10 minutes before meals : Organic India Trikatu (1 tablet -not sure of the mg but it is sold in one tablet size) comes in a 90 tablet bottle. For large or heavy meals, 2 tablets.

Upon waking 1 hour before eating. 1000 mg of triphala.

Before bed : 1000 mg tablet of triphala.

I bought the triphala in bulk and bought and a $15.00 capsule machine with empty 1000mg capsules.

Post Edited (kevinla) : 12/6/2013 9:15:51 PM (GMT-7)